


The Last To Know

by Butterfly_girl



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: 5+1 Things, F/M, First Kiss, Fluff, Friends to Lovers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-17
Updated: 2019-01-10
Packaged: 2019-05-24 14:04:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,735
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14956037
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Butterfly_girl/pseuds/Butterfly_girl
Summary: Five times Prompto kissed Aranea and one time Aranea kissed Prompto.Tags to be updated as more chapters are added.





	1. The First Time

**Author's Note:**

> Initially inspired by the following request: A confessing feelings for B. Key words: accidental blurting out, public place. Bonus points for a fluffy outcome.
> 
> Also inspired by the FFXV Rare Pairs Week Day 6 prompt: breathe
> 
> I got carried away and it turned into this...

It had been a surprise to see him there- a pleasant surprise but a surprise all the same- and she was caught off guard, her heart thumping in her chest as she approached. Her breath caught at the back of her throat and she hesitated, suddenly nervous, more unsure now than she’d ever been before in her life. It was an unfamiliar feeling and she tried to shake it off, laughing at her own stupidity, it clung on stubbornly, settling like a mass of excited butterflies in the pit of her stomach. She tried to tell herself it was just the shock of seeing him but if she was honest that wasn’t the whole truth. Somehow, somewhere along the way, she had fallen for him. She didn’t know when it had happened exactly, but it had happened, and there was absolutely nothing she could do about it. 

“Just breathe, ‘Nea,” she muttered, sighing deeply as she continued to watch him across the crowded room. “What are you so scared of?”

What was she scared of? Why did it have to be such a bad thing- the way she felt about him? It had been a while since she’d last seen him but he looked mostly the same- the usual sparkle behind his eyes as he laughed, the familiar scattering of freckles that danced across his nose when he smiled. He looked a little more tired, perhaps, but that was to be expected given everything that had happened. His hair was longer too, she noticed; soft and unstyled so the blonde bangs swept across his forehead and over his left eye. It was a good look for him, she thought. Though she supposed she was a little biased on that front…

“Aranea!” He sprung up out of his chair the moment he saw her, his smile warm and bright and directed straight at her, as though they were the only two people in the room. She felt her heart leap at his greeting but immediately forced the excitement back down. He was always like this, bouncy and animated, and she had no reason to believe he was greeting her any more fondly than he would any of his other friends. Wanting to believe something didn’t make it true- she’d learnt that long ago. Better to remind herself of that now rather than continue with a daydream of something that could never happen. 

“Didn’t expect to see you here, Shortcake.” She acknowledged him with a curt nod, her arms crossed across her chest as she gazed at him. She was more composed now, her tough exterior back in place, a shield to protect her from her emotions. It was the way it had to be if she wanted to come away from this meeting with her feelings still intact. 

He had other ideas though, ignoring her cold expression completely and rushing over to pull her into a tight embrace. She let him hold him for a few seconds, the warmth of his breath against her cheek almost enough to break down her barriers and cause her true feelings to come flooding out. Her skin tingled as his hands brushed the back of her neck and she felt her heart beating erratically as though it had somehow sprouted wings and was trying to break out and fly away. She wanted nothing more than to wrap her arms around him and bury her face in his chest and, if he’d been alone, maybe she would have had the courage to do so. 

There were a lot of things she might have done if he’d been on his own but he rarely was. Even now as she glanced over his shoulder, she could see the others standing there, and she pulled away, struggling out of his grasp and raising one eyebrow at him in mock exasperation. She’d always said she didn’t care what others thought of her but that wasn’t strictly true. If it were, she would have kissed him right then and there, pressing her lips into his with all the fire and passion that filled her heart whenever she saw him. But she couldn’t do it. Not while they were there, at least. 

She felt herself blush at the thought of kissing him, hoping above anything that the lights in this place were dim enough to hide her reddening face. _“Stay cool, Aranea. Remember to breathe…”_

“Are you okay?” His voice cut through her thoughts and she snapped back to reality. His eyes were full of concern as he looked at her, and he reached out to squeeze her forearm, his hand lingering just above the surface of her skin as he waited for her to answer. Shit. He’d clearly been talking for a while but she’d been so lost in her daydream she hadn’t heard a word of it. So much for staying cool…

“Why wouldn’t I be?” She tried to shrug it off with her usual nonchalance but there was an uncertainty behind her words that didn’t belong there. The others were staring at her now too, their expressions more bemused than worried, and as she peered over, she saw two of them exchange glances, a silent conversation passing between them. The corners of their lips twitched as they tried to hold back their laughter and she looked away, her cheeks burning in embarrassment. She bit her bottom lip. If they hadn’t noticed her blushing before, they definitely would now and, if the looks on their faces were anything to go by, they would know exactly who was behind it. Maybe she hadn’t been so good at hiding her feelings after all. And if they’d managed to figure her out, maybe Prompto knew too…

“I just… you kind of zoned out for a while there.” He smiled again and she felt the butterflies in her chest now, their wings fluttering so emphatically that for a moment she forgot how to breathe.

“You know me. Always thinking about the next thing I gotta do.” She laughed, a sound which sounded forced even to her own ears, before reaching out to ruffle his hair playfully. The strands felt unusually soft and silky and, as she let her hands drift over the top of his head, she found herself having to resist the urge to hold on more tightly, to wrap her fingers in with his hair and pull him towards her. Letting go quickly, she made her way to the bar, nodding bruskly in the bartender’s direction. “ Another drink?”

“Actually, we were just leaving.” Her heart sank at the words and she turned away, flashing the bartender a smile in an attempt to hide her disappointment. “Got a couple more hunts to do before we turn in for the night. Another time though for sure.” 

“Whatever you want.” The words came out harsher than she’d meant them to and as she glanced at him she thought she saw hurt flash across his eyes, clouding their sparkle for just a moment. She swallowed. She hated the thought of him thinking she didn’t care but the alternative didn’t bear thinking about.

There was a long pause before he spoke again, and she found herself unable to meet his eyes, focusing her attention instead on the drink that had appeared in front of her. He placed a hand tentatively on her shoulder and squeezed softly. She closed her eyes, revelling in the warmth of his skin as it soaked into her own body.

“It was really good seeing you tonight, ‘Nea.” His voice was soft and, she thought, tinged with the same sadness she felt welling up inside her. 

He’d already turned to leave when she wrapped her hand around his wrist, more out of instinct than anything, gripping tightly as she spun to face him. “Don’t go,” she blurted out before she could stop herself, the desperation in her voice a shock even to her. 

“Huh?” He looked genuinely confused, his brow furrowed as he blinked back at her. 

“I… uh… I just… I mean… Do you really have to go?” She let go of his arm but he didn’t move away. “Surely it doesn’t take four of you to do a simple hunt? I’m pretty sure the others can handle this one without you.”

The corners of his eyes wrinkled as he laughed, the sound warm and sweet and gentle, and she couldn’t help but smile. “Is that your way of telling me you think I’m useless with a weapon?”

“You know that’s not what I’m saying.” She’d seen him fight, and that was far from true. In battle, he was lethal, a threat to any enemy, and he fought with a passion and drive that made her admire him. People underestimated him, and she supposed she understood why. It was easy to do so from a distance; after all, people saw him as sunshine and light, always bright and cheerful and happy. But there was an edge that came out on the battlefield, a glint in his eye when his gun was in his hand that wasn’t present the rest of the time. On the occasions she had fought alongside him, she'd always felt grateful he was on her side. “I… uh… I just thought…”

“Why are you acting so weird?” He cut her off with another chuckle, running his hands though his hair as he watched her.

She was about to speak again, to offer up an excuse for her strange behaviour, when one of the others spoke, his words laced with amusement as he called across at them from the doorway. “I think she wants you to herself for a while, Blondie. I’ll leave it to you to work out why.” 

He shook his head, giggling as he looked back at her. “Just ignore him, ‘Nea. He’s being an idiot. He…” His voice trailed off, his eyes wide as though something had suddenly dawned on him for the first time. She held her breath. This was it. The moment she’d been dreading. He knew, and there was no point lying about it anymore. “He’s right, isn’t he? That’s why you asked me to stay?”

“Yes, he’s right.” Her voice sounded odd; it was strained and strangely quiet, the words sticking in the back of her throat as she peered up at him, his own cheeks flushed pink now in a way that made the bronzed freckles stand out even more than they usually did. 

“How long have you felt like this?” He didn’t need to clarify what _‘this’_ meant. He’d worked it all out without her even having to say anything.

“A while.” She paused to clear her throat. She supposed if he knew this much he might as well know the whole truth. “More than a while, actually. A long time. I just figured it was better if you didn’t know.”

He leant in to kiss her before she could continue, his breath warm and gentle as it brushed against her skin. She was taken aback but she didn’t pull away, suddenly more certain of her feelings than ever. Pressing her lips against his more firmly, she reached up to wrap an arm around the back of his neck, tangling her fingers into the long strands of hair and grabbing tightly. 

He pulled away, resting his forehead against hers, the tip of his nose grazing softly against her cheek. “I wish you hadn’t kept it a secret for so long.”

“Well, you know now.” She cupped his head in her hands, her fingertips tracing the lines of freckles that she had often longed to touch. 

He kissed her again, pressing his lips against hers with more passion than she thought possible, his fingers drifting up her spine to the back of her head, his touch not delicate as she'd expected but firm and full of desire. Not for the first time, she felt the wind nearly knocked from her lungs and when they eventually pulled apart she found herself gasping for breath. 

“Yeah, I do.” He smiled and suddenly it didn’t matter that the others were there, or that the rest of the bar was watching them, whispering and giggling to each other as they discussed what was going on. Everything else seemed to disappear so it was only her and him, and for the first time in a long time she felt happy. He had been one of the few people to see the real her, to take the time to dig underneath her self-built wall of apathy and worm his way inside. And, for all her flaws, he hadn’t run away. He wanted her for who she was, and that felt wonderful.


	2. The Second Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She wishes she'd never left, and she misses him more than she can admit to herself.
> 
> But does he feel the same? And if he does, can she stick around long enough to let him show her?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written as a birthday present for the lovely [stopmopingstarthoping](https://archiveofourown.org/users/stopmopingstarthoping).

The next time she saw him he was alone, and that was so strange in itself that for a moment she doubted it was him. Perhaps she’d got so desperate to see him that her mind had started playing tricks on her, turning strangers into the images of the one she most wanted to be with. And she hated herself for that. Hated the fact that her breath caught in her throat every time she caught sight of a flash of blonde across a room. Hated the fact that her heart skipped a beat whenever she heard the shutter of a camera click closed. Most of all she hated the fact that she wanted someone so badly- she who had always been so comfortable on her own, who had always insisted that she’d never need anybody. But somehow over the last few months what had once been a simple attraction had turned into an all consuming need to be touched by him, to be held tightly in his tender yet safe embrace as she had been the last time they’d met. 

They’d spent the night together then, curled up together in the cramped motel bed, their limbs intertwined as they both sought protection from the cold night air that seemed to fill every corner of the room despite the lack of windows. She’d been surprised by how right it all felt, the cool skin of his chest as she pressed her face against it lulling her into the deepest, most comfortable sleep she’d had in more years than she could remember. It had felt right but she still hadn’t stayed. The urge to flee had managed to overwhelm the feeling of contentment as it always did, filling her mind with the sorts of negative thoughts that she knew would lead to yet another run of self-destructive events, no matter how hard she tried to fight against them. 

So she’d left before he’d woken up, grabbing her clothes and pressing them up against her body to cover herself as she’d crept into the bathroom, although she’d known there was nothing he hadn’t seen the night before. She’d felt embarrassed then, ashamed, almost- although he’d made her feel more beautiful than anyone else she’d ever slept with. But she never stayed, and why break the habit of a lifetime? She wasn’t sure she’d ever be a girl who stayed, although part of her had never wanted anything more deeply…

Now she stared at the figure in front of her, almost scared to blink in case it disappeared in a puff of smoke. Fluffy strands of hair, darkened by sweat but still undoubtedly the blonde she was searching for, clung to the back of his neck. He had his back to her, his exposed shoulders even more heavily freckled than usual and his skin glowing a light golden brown as it caught the last rays of late summer evening sun, but she didn’t need to see his face to know it was him. Taking a step closer, she grinned to herself as she caught sight of the faint pink tinge that spread across his shoulder blades and down both arms- faded and muted by the tan but still visible. A sign that his pale skin had not reacted well to this month’s unceasing (and, she thought, increasingly unwelcome) heatwave. 

She moved closer again, stepping carefully to avoid startling him. He was sitting on top of a large, flattened rock with his legs curled underneath him, one arm stretched out by his side to steady himself while his other hand clutched his camera. If it had been anyone else, she would have found this odd. She would have wondered what was wrong. But this was Prompto and, somehow, nothing he did was a surprise. It didn’t look like a particularly comfortable position- she wasn’t sure she’d manage to sit still like that for more than a couple of minutes before she got restless and had to move- but his body somehow remained perfectly still despite her suspicions that he’d been perched there for quite a while. He was watching something in the pool of water below him- she could tell that by the tension in his shoulders as he leant forwards and she knew that his face would be etched with the kind of intense focus that only he exuded.

“Shortcake?” she questioned, flinching at the undeniable trembling that saturated the word, biting down painfully on her lower lip to stop herself from blurting out something she knew she’d regret later.

That was another thing she hated- the way she became so uncertain around him, so nervous, so desperate for his approval that she ended up second guessing every single word she spoke. She’d always been so full of confidence, safe in the knowledge that she knew exactly what she wanted and what to do to get it. But now… now she felt different in ways she didn’t quite know how to describe.

She brushed her hands against her pants in an attempt to clear away some of the clammy sweat that stuck to her palms, clenching her fists by her side and taking a deep breath before letting it out as slowly and steadily as she could manage.

“It’s not like you to be away from your princely pal. I was beginning to think you two were joined at the hip.” She let out a short laugh but quickly swallowed it, all too aware of how false it sounded against the dusk silence. She paused and closed her eyes, tuning in to the rustle of the leaves and the tinkling of water- almost metallic like the clanking of wind-chimes as the breeze tickled the surface of the pond he was staring at.

Clearing her throat, she tried again. “Are you even old enough to be out here on your own? I mean, it must be past your bed time by now.” Straightening up, she flicked her hair back behind her shoulders and put one hand on her hip, hoping adopting a more confident stance might hide at least some of her nerves. Her voice sounded stronger at least. She’d even managed to get a slight hint of playful teasing in there somehow in spite of the butterflies which seemed to be climbing from her stomach all the way into her chest and throat, their wings fluttering more violently with every passing second, beating against her insides as though they might break out at any moment. “Won’t your…”

“Shh…” The sound was soft and hushed but at the same time had a sharpness to it that made her stop breathing for a moment, shocked at the abrasive nature of the warning. Without so much as a glance in her direction, he held up a hand for her to be quiet, sliding down off the rock and crouching beside it as though he was a tiger ready to pounce. 

She swallowed, her throat suddenly dry. She’d been wrong to get her hopes up. Of course she had. After the last time, she’d allowed herself to think of him often. She’d stopped trying to push him out of her mind, instead allowing herself to dream of his hands running over her body, tracing the scar along her collarbone with such tenderness that she’d shivered and trembled with pleasure. She’d let herself picture his face, eyes twinkling as he looked her up and down, hair falling over one eye as he propped himself up on the pillow, cheeks flushed and lips slightly parted as he smiled contentedly. She’d even daydreamed about his lips against hers, warm and moist as they drifted across her skin, dotting delicate kisses over her face and neck before drifting towards her stomach… The mere memory was enough to make her quiver with excitement! And perhaps _\- perhaps-_ she’d even allowed herself to imagine that he might be thinking of her. 

Obviously she’d been wrong. He clearly hadn’t given her a second thought. He knew she was there- his brief acknowledgment had made that clear enough- and yet he thought so little of her that he couldn’t even be bothered to turn around.

Her eyes stung and she swallowed again before turning away, letting her hair fall forward to hide her face. _“Don’t fucking cry, ‘Nea, Don’t you dare fucking cry,”_ she told herself, clenching her fists tightly until her fingernails dug sharply into the palm of her hands, the small spike of pain enough to calm her. She ran her hands over her face, brushing her hair back and flexing her fingers to get rid of some of the tension. It was probably for the best anyway. In fact, it was definitely for the best. He was a constant ray of sunshine- had been from the first moment she’d laid eyes on him- his positive outlook naive yet at the same time refreshing. And she was… well she was who she was, and she knew deep down that she was no good for him, whatever she wanted to believe. _“Enough now.”_ She glanced towards him one last time, a sad smile on her face as she watched his eyes catch the final rays of dying sunlight, violet irises like amethysts against the soft amber glow. _“Time to walk away. Just do it. Do it now, before he notices you’re still here.”_

She was halfway down the path when he spoke, his voice calling her name so brightly that she couldn’t stop herself from turning to face him.

“Wait, ‘Nea!” he called. “Please wait.”

He jumped to his feet, the strap of his camera looped around his neck now so that it hung against his chest. He had that smile on his face- the one she couldn’t resist- and she stopped in her tracks, all thoughts of leaving gone as quickly as they’d arrived. 

“Did you want something?” she asked nonchalantly, the slight flick of the hair and single raised eyebrow enough, she hoped, to indicate just the right amount of irritation. “Only I’ve got places I need to be.”

“I was hoping you might stay for a while.” He walked towards her, her heart pounding more loudly with every step he took. “It’s…” he paused right in front of her, reaching out a hand to touch her arm. “It’s been a while,” he continued, letting his fingers drift down her forearm before moving to her face where they settled tentatively by her ear. 

His skin was rougher than she remembered and his fingertips more calloused but the sensation was welcome all the same, and she heard herself gasp with pleasure as he buried his fingers in her hair, cupping her cheek with his hand as he did so. 

“I…” She paused to clear her throat, reaching up to tug his hand away from her face. “I have to go,” she murmured, though she sounded so unconvincing even to her own ears that she almost burst out laughing in disbelief. 

“Do you?” He grinned, squeezing her hand tightly.

“No,” she admitted with a chuckle. “But you seemed pretty fucking caught up in whatever it was you were doing back there. I’d hate to be a distraction.” She’d been going for teasing, possibly with the tiniest hint of annoyance. But she knew herself that she just sounded sad, and the brief look of melancholy that flitted across his face told her that he’d heard it too.

“Sorry about that,” he mumbled, shoving his hands in his pockets and staring down at the ground. His cheeks were flushed pink- a colour that was quickly spreading to the tips of his ears. “You know me, though. Always searching for the perfect photograph.” He brushed his bangs back from his face and smiled up at her shyly, gesturing back towards the pond which was now bathed in deep crimson as though the water itself was on fire. “It’s beautiful at this time of day, right?”

“You think everything is beautiful,” she retorted, ruffling his hair affectionately.

“Some things more than others,” he replied quietly, turning back to face her.

She began to laugh but quickly stopped when she saw how serious he was. He was looking at her in the same way he’d been looking at the sunset over the pond, his expression that unexpected combination of peaceful intensity that only happened when he gazed upon something beautiful. She blushed as the full realisation of what he’d said hit her, but didn’t have time to respond before his hand moved once against towards the side of her face. She didn’t pull away this time, leaning into his touch as he combed his fingers gently through her hair, tucking it behind her ear and letting his fingers trace the line of her jaw until they reached her chin. He left them there for a few moments, his eyes gazing into hers as if to say _, if you want to leave, now’s your chance._ But she didn’t want to leave. She never wanted to leave. 

His thumb brushed against her lower lip, a shadow of a touch, the pressure so light that she was surprised she’d felt it at all. She smiled and he repeated the motion, his thumb moving more confidently this time as it traced the curve of her mouth, his eyes half closed as they followed the movement.

“Stay?” he whispered gently, his eyes pleading silently with her as he continued to stroke her face. She nodded once, suddenly unable to trust herself to speak, and the tip of his thumb was quickly replaced by his lips, which hovered just above hers as he spoke. His breath was warm and sweet as it caressed her skin and she closed her eyes, wrapping her arms around his neck and pressing herself closer to him.

He pressed his lips to hers again, one hand smoothing her hair back from her face as he did so. “‘Nea?” he murmured, moving his other hand to sit on her waist, the sudden touch in an unfamiliar place enough to startle her. She looked up at him questioningly, a sudden vulnerability sweeping through her as she thought about her uncharacteristically candid display of emotion. “You know you’re more beautiful that any sunset, right?”

“Nice pick up line, Shortcake,” she chuckled, letting her hands rest on his shoulders. Even in the fading light, the freckles there were visible, dotting his skin like constellations in the night sky. Close up, they seemed more numerous than ever and had sprung up in places she was sure had been smooth and pale the last time they’d seen each other. Though she supposed the sun was to blame for that. Not that it was a bad thing. She loved them- and made a mental note to tell him that later.

“You love it.” He grinned again, the dusting of freckles across his nose dancing in time to her heartbeat.

“I do,” she admitted, watching as her fingers darted between the freckles, creating swirling patterns across his tanned skin. 

He placed a kiss on her forehead, wrapping his arms around her and resting his head on top of hers. She nuzzled closer so that his chin was buried in her hair, her cheek pressed so firmly into his chest that she could heart his heart beating.

He ran his hands over her back in slow, rhythmic circles before dropping a kiss on the top of her head. She closed her eyes again and sighed happily. “So stay,” he repeated, the cool breeze of his breath tousling her hair. It wasn’t a question this time. It didn’t need to be. He knew she’d already made her decision. After all, when he made her feel like this how could she possibly refuse…

**Author's Note:**

> [Come and chat on tumblr](https://butterfly-girl86.tumblr.com/)


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